HANDCRAFT WITH SYAGRUS CORONATE IN THE STATE OF SERGIPE, BRAZIL

The ouricuri palm (Syagrus coronate (Martius) Beccari) is found especially in northeastern Brazil and has huge popular uses: human feeding, wildlife and livestock feeding, construction, fuel, medicinal and handcrafting, besides the ecosystems maintenance. This work aimed to make a diagnosis with the mainly artisans of ouricuri straw communities present in Sergipe state, Brazil. Thus, four localities in the state were visited: Pacatuba, Japaratuba, Pirambu and Areia Branca. The method was based on interviews performed in these communities with the objective of analyzing the socio-economic and cultural importance of this palm. Through 32 interviews it was found that the handcraft from ouricuri palm is used as an income addition and that the art goes through generations within the same family. The study observed that most of the handcrafts are represented by the brooms manufacture and that the Sergipe state stimulus to craftsmen communities by the responsible of government institutions to the local development is still low. Thus, the implementation of support policies to small producers is essential in order to maintain the ouricuri handicraft tradition at economical and environmentally sustainable bases.